How do you draw transparent polygons with Python?

Question

I\'m using PIL (Python Imaging Library). I\'d like to draw transparent polygons. It seems that specifying a fill color that includes alpha level does not work. Are their

Answer 1

From what I have found it can't be done directly with PIL. Here is a solution with PyCairo. Cairo is also used by Mozilla, GTX+, Mono, Inkscape, and WebKit so I think it is a safe to use in terms of future support. It can also be done with aggdraw, an optional add-on for PIL. See my listed source for more details. Python version 2.7.3 is used.

Source: http://livingcode.org/2008/12/14/drawing-with-opacity.1.html

Helper file: random_polys_util.py

    MIN_ALPHA = 50
    MAX_ALPHA = 100

    WIDTH = 500
    HEIGHT = 250

    #
    #   Utilities
    #
    def hex2tuple(hex_color):
        return tuple([int(hex_color[i:i+2], 16) for i in range(1,9,2)])

    def tuple2hex(tuple_color):
        return "#%0.2X%0.2X%0.2X%0.2X" % tuple_color

    def ints2floats(tuple_color):
        return tuple([c / 255.0 for c in tuple_color])

    def inc_point(p, dp):
        return (p[0] + dp[0]) % WIDTH, (p[1] + dp[1]) % HEIGHT

    def inc_triangle(t, dt):
        return tuple([inc_point(t[i], dt[i]) for i in range(3)])

    def inc_color(c, dc):
        new_c = [(c[i] + dc[i]) % 256 for i in range(3)]
        new_a = (c[3] + dc[3]) % MAX_ALPHA
        if new_a < MIN_ALPHA: new_a += MIN_ALPHA
        new_c.append(new_a)
        return tuple(new_c)

    def draw_all(draw_fn):
        triangle = start_t
        color = start_c
        for i in range(50):
            triangle = inc_triangle(triangle, dt)
            color = inc_color(color, dc)
            draw_fn(triangle, color)

    #
    #   Starting and incrementing values
    #
    start_c = hex2tuple('E6A20644')
    start_t = (127, 132), (341, 171), (434, 125)
    dt = (107, 23), (47, 73), (13, 97)
    dc = 61, 113, 109, 41

Main file: random_polys.py

from random_polys_util import *

def cairo_poly(pts, clr):
    ctx.set_source_rgba(*ints2floats(clr))
    ctx.move_to(*pts[-1])
    for pt in pts:
        ctx.line_to(*pt)
    ctx.close_path()
    ctx.fill()

def cairo_main():
    # Setup Cairo
    import cairo
    global ctx
    surface = cairo.ImageSurface(cairo.FORMAT_ARGB32, WIDTH, HEIGHT)
    ctx = cairo.Context(surface)
    # fill background white
    cairo_poly(((0,0),(WIDTH,0),(WIDTH,HEIGHT),(0,HEIGHT)),(255,255,255,255))
    draw_all(cairo_poly)
    surface.write_to_png('cairo_example.png')

def main():
    cairo_main()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()